Camper Van Beethoven Return with 'La Costa Perdida'

Eight years after issuing their politically charged rock opera, New Roman Times, reunited alt-rockers Camper Van Beethoven have announced their long-awaited follow-up, La Costa Perdida. The album arrives January 22 on the group's new label home 429 Records.

A press release for the 10-song set notes that it was recorded at multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Segel's home studio in Oakland, and the sessions are apparently "steeped in their connection to Northern California, specifically the areas where the band members first nurtured their musical talents — Redlands, Santa Cruz and San Francisco."

The "multi-hued aural landscapes" of La Costa Perdida were spontaneously captured over the course of two weeks at Segel's studio, marking the first time Camper Van Beethoven have ever recorded live-off-the-floor as a whole band. You can sample snippets of the songs over here on the 429 Records site.

"The coolest part was that everything flowed from the fact that these distinctive musicians and personalities sat in the living room. Our music now sounds like four people are writing it," bassist/baritone guitarist Victor Krummenacher said in a hopefully unintentionally back-handed statement (the group is currently a sextet). "The songs have great energy, but we're more relaxed and stately and a lot more confident. The songwriting here has elements of vintage Camper along with grown-up Camper."

La Costa Perdida:

1. Come Down The Coast
2. Too High For The Love-in
3. You Got To Roll
4. Someday Our Love Will Sell Us Out
5. Peaches In The Summertime
6. Northern California Girls
7. Summer Days
8. La Costa Perdida
9. Aged In Wood
10. A Love For All Time